Combustion Dynamics and Organization in Aeroengine Combustors

The combustor is the heart of modern aeroengines, where efficient and stable combustion directly impacts performance and emissions. With increasing demands for higher efficiency, lower emissions, and extended operational limits, understanding combustion dynamics and optimizing flame organization within the combustor have become critical. This includes addressing challenges such as thermoacoustic instabilities, flame stabilization under extreme conditions, fuel-air mixing uniformity, and adaptive control of combustion processes. Advanced numerical simulations and experimental diagnostics are critical tools for unraveling the complex interactions between turbulence, chemistry, and heat transfer in combustors.

This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research on combustion mechanisms, innovative design methodologies, and diagnostic technologies that drive progress in aeroengine combustor development. Topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Fundamental Mechanisms of Turbulent Combustion
o Studies on turbulence-chemistry interactions, flame stabilization mechanisms, and transient combustion phenomena (e.g., ignition, extinction, relight).
o High-fidelity simulations (LES/DNS) and reduced-order modeling of reacting flows in complex combustor geometries.

2. Combustion Optimization for Low Emissions
o Strategies for reducing pollutants (NOx, CO, soot) through advanced fuel injection, lean-burn architectures, and staged combustion.
o Role of alternative fuels (e.g., hydrogen, SAFs) in emission reduction and combustion efficiency.

3. Advanced Combustion Diagnostics and Instrumentation
o Novel experimental techniques (e.g., PLIF, PIV, TDLAS) for in-situ measurement of temperature, species concentration, and flow dynamics.
o Integration of experimental data with machine learning for real-time combustion monitoring and control.

4. Thermoacoustic Instabilities and Control
o Analysis of combustion instability mechanisms (e.g., flame-vortex interactions, pressure oscillations).
o Active/passive control strategies (e.g., acoustic dampers, adaptive fuel modulation) to suppress instabilities.

5. Multiphysics Coupling in Combustor Design
o Interactions between combustion, cooling systems, and structural integrity under high thermal loads.
o Co-design approaches for combustor-turbine integration to minimize losses and enhance durability.

6. AI-Driven Combustion System Design
o Application of machine learning and optimization algorithms for rapid combustor design and performance prediction.
o Digital twin frameworks for virtual testing and adaptive combustion management.

7. Detonation combustion propulsion technology
o Methods for controlling detonation wave dynamics and combustion dynamics of diagonal detonation, and rotational detonation and pulse detonation combustion.
o Mechanism research on detonation wave initiation characteristics and propagation mode control, and heat release mechanism and model establishment.

Any questions? Please email the Publishing Office.

All article processing charges are being waived until the end of 2025 for submissions to Aerospace Research Communications.

Article types and fees

This Special Issue accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Special Issue description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• Letter to the Editor
• Original Research
• Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Special Issue accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Special Issue description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• Letter to the Editor
• Original Research
• Review

Keywords: combustor, aeroengines, thermoacoustic instabilities, flame stabilization, fuel-air mixing uniformity